Coal production from India's captive and commercial mines rose 14.9 per cent year on year to 17.88 million tonnes (mn t) in June 2026, while dispatch increased to 18.55 mn t, the ministry of coal said on Thursday. The ministry attributed the rise to improved mine operations, higher capacity utilisation and better production planning. The report indicated these gains followed sustained operational focus across the sector. The data were released as part of the ministry's regular monthly reporting cycle.

During the April–June quarter the ministry reported production growth of 5.35 per cent over the corresponding period last year and a dispatch rise of 1.70 per cent. Officials said the quarter benefited from enhanced coordination between operators and regulators and timely clearances that eased bottlenecks. Capacity management and targeted planning were cited as contributing factors. Stakeholders welcomed the improved dispatch performance as a sign of operational recovery.

Production also rose as three new mines — Urtan, Dhirauli and Bikram — commenced output during the first quarter of FY27, the ministry noted. Together the mines have a peak-rated capacity of 7.51 million tonnes per annum (mn tpa) and are expected to improve domestic coal availability and strengthen supply security. The Urtan block is a coking coal mine and its output was described as particularly important for downstream users.

The ministry said production from the Urtan coking block would enhance domestic availability of coking coal for the steel sector and support efforts to reduce import dependence. It added that coal production from captive and commercial mines registered a compound annual growth rate of around 10.7 per cent between FY25 and FY27. The ministry credited policy initiatives, regulatory facilitation and sustained stakeholder engagement for the growth.